13 September 2008

Summer's End - la Farandole 2


As served at le Beausejour in Gorbio - voila! - la Farandole. You see a small barbajuan on the lower left of the plate (yes, the plate isn't a true square). Barbajuan is a speciality of this area, especially Menton, Roquebrune and Monaco. Click on the link to read more but basically it's a tart or small pie, filled with leeks, Swiss chard, spinach and ricotta cheese. Then you have beignets of courgette flowers and also of aubergines - sometimes there is a large shrimp or two, deep fried in the lightest batter. Because I don't eat meat, there is none on this plate but the Benauts' plates included slices of proscuitto. There's also salad, fruit and a wonderfully piquant dipping sauce.

All of which went down very well with a good bottle of Bandol rosé.

The Benauts have just left for Sestri Levante on the Ligurian coast of Italy. The dogs and I miss them already.

14 comments:

  1. The colors are so attractive, and that spark of blue flower petal sets everything off to lovely advantage. This sounds so delicious, and with this photo you've practically given us a taste. Beautiful!
    -Kim
    Seattle Daily Photo

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  2. It sounds as if you had a great time together. Lunch looks delicious..

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  3. The colors and the plate layout are stunning. Looks too good to actually eat. More of a promotion piece for a photographer. I like it and would love to taste it.

    You left out at least two important points in the post.

    How much does something like this cost in US Dollars?

    How long ago was it that you gave up eating meat?

    Thank you. I will take my answers off the air. LOL

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  4. Its 8am here, but that sure looks good. I could eat it right now.

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  5. I'm with JIm. Aubergines, are they eggplant? courgette flowers, squash blossoms perhaps? We eat those fried here in Alabama, but I have never tasted one. This is a gorgeous plate Jilly!

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  6. It looked so colourful and healthy....yummy.

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  7. Abraham, I can't remember the price of each plate, but the total for three was 72 euros and that included wine, bottled water and coffee afterwards I seem to remember. I'll find out next time I'm in the village and will look at their menu boards.

    I've not eaten meat for some years now - maybe 7 or 8 - perhaps a little more. It's not that I didn't like meat - but it's simply my little protest about the way animals are treated and killed. If I know an animal has been properly brought up and properly and humanely killed - well maybe? Except now my body probably couldn't and wouldn't accept meat. Basically, I don't believe we need to kill animals to eat well. And I hate the way animals are shipped in trucks all over Europe. And having been in slaughter houses I know how badly they can be treated at the end.

    Virginia, Courgette flowers = zucchini flowers. Aubergines = egg plant, yes.

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  8. Jilly
    Woah, how I would love to taste that plate....without meat!
    Me,too,I have not eaten meat for many,many years. It's because of
    my love of animals and my body
    couldn't and wouldn't accept their"corpses". No animal and no
    fish.
    By the way,I have clicked "Levante"
    I have not seen the Benauts printed
    among"tutti le magnifestazioni da septembre"!!!Surprising Isn't It?
    Ah!

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  9. This is so artistically presented, and every bit has such color and texture. The first thing I would eat would be the fig.

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  10. Beautiful presentation and great photo to enhance the food. I agree with you re. meat. I still eat it on occasion but it doesn't taste as good as it used to taste!

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  11. Oh, slurp. I miss France.

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  12. I bet it tastes as wonderful as the presentation suggests.
    Sydney Daily Photo

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  13. no wonder europeans think americans are such boors. that is a lovely plate. color and texture. compare that with an american plate (aargh).

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  14. Bravo, Jilly! Beautiful take of that delightful meal. I think I could live like that, even without the meat. Thanks for the recipe link too.

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